The Broken Cross

I don’t know how often Heathens have this problem. I suppose Wiccans, with their distinctive pentacle, don’t, unless somebody has been on a desert island for the past thirty years. But people see my Thor’s Hammer and assume it’s some kind of cross. This might not be completely unreasonable of them, given the wide variety of crosses out there, but they think that part of it is simply broken off. In a word, it’s assumed that I am a Christian, and my curiosity as to why so few people question me about my Hammer is answered. There is nothing to be curious about, unless its the nature of my rather unusual “cross.”

It seems a rather sad and ironic fate for the symbol of a God and a religion that was ground underfoot by the tide of Christianity ten centuries ago, to be mistaken for Christianity and as a symbol of the White Christ, as the Heathen Norse called Jesus. I wear a Valknot too, the “Knot of the Slain” – a symbol of Odin. But nobody questions that. Just an interesting arrangement of triangles, I’m sure is all they see. I’ve only been questioned about it once or twice in all the years I’ve worn it. And when I wore another Heathen symbol, the Tyr rune, people assumed it was an arrow and wanted to know why I wore an arrow around my neck!

It seems we Heathens can’t win with our holy symbols. They’re either outlawed or considered hate symbols, and when we do wear them, they get mistaken for mundane objects or for symbols of the religion most diametrically opposed to our own!

And of course, if somebody does say something about the ‘broken cross’ and you explain it to them, their reaction is pitying, as though “you poor misguided thing!” or you hear “I’m sorry to hear that.” Sorry? There’s arrogance for you.

So what’s a Gods loving Heathen to do? Must I proclaim it on my t-shirt? “HEATHEN” in bold red letters? They’d probably think it was some rock band or that I meant it in an accusatory fashion, or ironically. It seems a strange problem to have really, and I suppose it’s not so much that I’m interested in proclaiming my religion as it is frustration that our holy symbols have been so marginalized and misused by history. I wear them because they’re meaningful to me, not to make a statement. Half the time they’re hidden by my shirt in any event. But when they’re seen, I have to admit it would be nice if they were recognized for what they are, and that I would not be mistaken for a Christian of all things!

Ah well. That’s life, as the French say. Uffda! as we said back in Minnesota. Take it in stride like a good practical Scandinavian and move on. If they recognized it as Thor’s Hammer they’d only want to know why I worship a Marvel Comics character anyway, and nobody wants to go there…